5 Days in the Life

I woke up on Saturday morning pumped and ready to embrace my Weight Watchers Leader training. Four hours later, and I was starting to feel a little tickle in the back of my throat. I shrugged it off, chalking it up to allergies.

I took the kids up to our local track and they rode their bikes around the ¼ mile track while I ran my long run of the week. I have been training for the Rock and Roll ½ Marathon in St. Pete on Feb. 12 and was determined to beat my Women’s ½ Marathon time from November. 

I also had an interview scheduled with Good Day Tampa Bay on Tuesday, so I was bound and determined not to let myself get sick! Throughout the day I started to feel a little more tired than usual, but figured it was just from the long run. Saturday night we took the kids to the Monster Jam and I was exhausted. We got home late, and all crashed for the night.

Sunday morning we all slept in and by the time we woke up, I had missed my normally scheduled cardio time, so opted instead for a quick three-mile run at the gym followed by an hour of a Les Mills favorite: Body Pump. My workout time is “my time”, so even when I feel less than stellar, I continue to move my body because that’s what keeps me focused when the world keeps spinning.  Exercise is such an integral part of my lifestyle that I feel like something is missing when I don’t get in a good workout. 

Monday rolls around and I’m at work. My phone rings and it’s my husband. He was out for a bike ride, and got caught up in a big patch of sand and lost control of his bicycle. He tried to prevent the fall by putting his leg down and ended up falling, pinning his leg behind him. Long story short, he ended up with a hairline fracture to his left ankle and severely twisted his left knee. He’s on crutches now and working from home. But I manage to get in a four-mile run.  

Tuesday I get a phone call that my youngest child is sick at school. I pick him (and his sisters) up early, take them home and get them comfortable, leave them with dad and head up to the gym for some “me time.”

Wednesday I get another phone call. This time it’s my daughter that is sick. My husband picks her up and brings her home. I pick up the other two after work. Make it home by 4:15pm and take sick daughter to the doctor. 2.5 hours later and we’re home. Dinner has to be made, lunches have to be packed, homework needs to get done, and the kitchen has to be cleaned. And I didn’t get a chance to get to the gym. I could have easily just said, “Oh forget it.” But I didn’t. After the kids went to bed, I went and did 200 sit-ups, held a series of planks for 2 minutes each, did a bunch of squats and pushups, and used my exercise tube for some oblique twists. 

There is NO EXCUSE for not fitting in a little bit of exercise each and every day. We all have challenges; we all have obstacles to overcome. This is a pretty typical week for me. Something ALWAYS comes up, but if you make your fitness a priority, you will find a way to get it done!

With my husband’s injury and three young and needy children, I have had to cancel my plans to run the Rock & Roll ½ Marathon. There is just no way I can go off and spend the day running and listening to Flo Rida while my husband is hobbling around breaking up fights and trying to keep three children entertained.

So I’ll be spending my Sunday morning the way I normally do: spinning my legs with as much intensity as I can in a great RPM class.

And I’ll do it with a big smile on my face and without an ounce of regret.

Editor's note: Do you know Jenny's story? .